1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to medical tourniquets, specifically to a medical tourniquet that is easy to use reliably and quickly.
2. Background Art
Tourniquets are used in medical emergencies to arrest life-threatening arterial or venous bleeding. A tourniquet is applied around an arm or leg, or other body extremity, to constrict the blood vessels between the patient's heart and the bleeding wound. Tourniquets must be used with care and knowledge, as stopping the flow of blood to the wound also stops the flow of blood to the entire extremity below the tourniquet; prolonged blood deprivation from improperly extended or regulated tourniquet use can lead to tissue death in the affected limb.
Because misuse of a tourniquet can be unnecessarily hazardous, properly applied direct pressure to the wound may be preferred to tourniquet use. Nevertheless, recent studies have confirmed the utility of tourniquets as the first line of medical intervention in extreme trauma situations. While proper training in proper tourniquet use remains essential, the tourniquet is receiving renewed interest as an effective tool in first-aid and paramedical treatment of severe bleeding.
Conventional tourniquets commonly in use have remained essentially unchanged for decades. Existing tourniquets typically consist of a single strap, possibly with a buckle for securing it in an adjustable loop, and a rigid rod. The looped strap is wrapped around the affected limb, and the rod is inserted between the limb and strap and then rotated, in a plane about parallel to the surface of the limb, in an “over-under” manner about the strap to twist the strap. As the strap is twisted with the rod, the effective length of the looped strap is shortened to constrict the limb. When the tourniquet is adequately tightened, the user must then temporarily secure the rod in position to maintain the twist in the strap. A variety of methods have been devised or improvised to so secure the rod, such as tucking an end of the rod back under the strap, or tying an end of the rod to the strap with a separate ribbon or cord. Known methods for securing the rod to maintain the strap constriction are generally unreliable and time consuming.
Tourniquets are commonly included, for example, in military field medical kits. The tourniquet in the U.S. military's current inventory is inadequate in its design. The tourniquet in the U.S. military inventory has remained essentially unchanged for about 50 years. When first designed, the military tourniquet was intended as a tool of last resort. Since then however, professional opinions about the utility and advantages of tourniquet use in severe cases have changed. The desirability of employing a tourniquet has increased, without any improvement to the tourniquet tools themselves. The buckle used to secure the strap on military tourniquets operates on a spring action. If the buckle is accidentally bumped, it may spring loose. Since these buckles are unreliable and unstable, they may jeopardize a briefly unattended patients life. Further, the strap itself demands the use of brute strength to achieve adequate constriction to properly restrict blood flow. Many persons using current tourniquet models are unable to tighten the tourniquet enough to occlude both arterial blood flow and venous return, creating a medical hazard.
As a resulted, a strong need remains for a tourniquet that is easy to use rapidly in emergency situations, including under conditions of darkness, and yet is reliably secured after tightening in order to prevent accidental release.